By Innocent Anaba
The trial of an a Iranian, Azim Ajargani and a Nigerian, Ali Abass Jega, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, for illegal shipment of arms into Nigeria from Iran, commenced yesterday, with trial judge in the matter, Justice Okechukwu Okeke accusing the prosecuting counsel of shoddy prosecution

Shortly after the prosecution opened its case by calling the first prosecution witness, Mr. Charles Okpekor, an officer of the State Security Service, SSS, headquarters, Abuja, the trial judge noted that the matter was not being properly prosecuted.

The witness, in his evidence-in-chief, narrated how the accused persons arrived the SSS headquarters, Abuja on invitation and how their statements were obtained.

At the point when the lead prosecuting counsel sought to tender a statement allegedly made by Jega, one of the accused persons, the trial judge noted that the date on the said statement was different from the ‘cautionary statement’ which Okpekor in his evidence, said he administered to Jega the same day the statement was obtained.

The date on the cautionary statement read October 27, 2010, while the date on the statement allegedly made by Jega, which was allegedly the same day, read October 26, 2010. The conflict seemed to have annoyed the judge, who accused prosecution of “messing up his case” in spite of its sensitive nature.

“If you people want to mess up your case, let it happen in your own office, don’t drag the court into it. What is the meaning of all these?  In the cautionary statement, you wrote October 27, 2010, in the body of the statement, you wrote October 26, 2010. At the end of the day, people would start accusing the court of one thing or the other, not knowing it is you who messed it up in your office,” the angry judge said.

Counsel to the accused person, said “we have noticed the contradictions, we will respond to them at the appropriate time.”

“Let my lord accept it as exhibit.”

Okpekor in his evidence,  said he was commissioned by his boss to lead a team of officers to the Iranian embassy  on November 13, 2010 to invite Ajargani, the first accused person, who followed them back to the SSS headquarters where his statement was taken by one Mr. Ariwoola Ayomipo.

He said he was also part of the team that invited Jega,  the second accused person,  at his office in Abuja on October 26, 2010 after which he was taken to the SSS office,  where his statement was obtained.

Meanwhile, a voluntary statement allegedly made by Jega to the SSS on October 26 and two additional statements later made on November 2,  and 4,  were admitted as exhibits by the court.

The accused persons, according to the new charge, were alleged to have on July 17, 2010, imported 13 container loads of firearms into Nigeria from Iran in contravention of the S1. (14) of the Firearms Act, Cap MI7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

They were also alleged to have imported the said 13 containers loads of firearms into the country ‘without licence’ in contravention of Section 18 of the Firearms Act which is punishable under Section 27 of the same Act.